GameSessions Blog

Ethan Carter: A game that leaves you lost or mesmerised?

Earlier this week, a bit of a debate started up in the office. Alex, one of our testers, was raving about how much he loved The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. From its beautiful surroundings to its innovative gameplay, he was hooked.

Senior Developer Pete, on the other hand, was not so keen. Whether he had missed the clues or simply couldn’t get that into it, it was lost on him.

Our testers are the ones who spend the most time playing the game, so we decided to give them a chance to argue their case:

YAN – Lead Tester

This game really doesn’t ‘hold your hand’. I found that without much guidance to the next event you can easily end up wandering around in circles. Although the graphic intensive landscapes really add to the immersive effect, beware on older machines – this is a graphically demanding game!

All in all, as beautiful and atmospheric as it is – it’s easy to get frustrated if you can’t complete all the tasks to trigger the storyline.

I rate The Vanishing of Ethan Carter… 6/10.

ALEX – Tester

A mysterious and eerie investigative mystery, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter can be a little hard to figure out, but the moody and masterfully atmospheric Red Creek Valley is a joy to explore.

A bittersweet, thoughtful game that will stick with you long after the closing credits.

If you like the sound of solving brutal murders with supernatural abilities in a place haunted by a child’s stories, I couldn’t recommend this more.